When learning how to play the guitar, it may not be your ambition to play lead guitar. Strong leadership is required, along with a certain amount of flamboyancy. When playing in a band the role of rhythm guitarist should not be underestimated.
It is important to realize that lead guitar and rhythm guitar fit into two different parts of a band, but it just happens that they are played on the same instrument. While often overshadowed by their more flamboyant counterparts who play lead guitar, the rhythm guitarist is indispensable in the creation of a great song. When a guitarist has
a mastery of both lead and rhythm, he/she can be both a harmonious songwriter and a uniquely rhythmic virtuoso.
Very often, a lead guitar part is played on an electric guitar, using with moderate to heavy distortion. Of course, lead guitar can be played on an acoustic guitar, but some techniques may not be as pronounced as on an electric. The most common techniques for creating lead parts are bending, vibrato and slides. Although rhythm guitar does not "express" as much as the lead guitar, there is so much to be learned about chords, chord progressions and rhythm patterns, and a player is limited only by their imagination.
The lead guitarist of a band is typically the one who gets all of the attention. By providing a solid rhythm for the song, the rhythm guitarist sets the pace of the song, and gives the lead guitarist material with which to work. As guitar solos tend to occur while the lead singer is not singing, attention is thus focused on the work of the lead guitarist, even though the rest of the band may also continue to play. While a lead guitarist can become well known based solely on the use of pre-written music, the truly great lead guitarists are usually those who improvise well. This is not something that can be taught while learning how to play the guitar, it more an expression of the individuals talent.
Most guitarists, but particularly lead guitarists, have favourite guitars that they prefer to play, and with which they become identified. When you first learn to play lead guitar it is vitally important to be disciplined and be able to put the hours in that are needed to master the craft. If you watch a music video you will always notice the confidence the lead guitarist has compared to his backup musicians. Lead guitarists are also known for their use of solos, either improvised or pre-written. As a lead guitarist it is important to have strong leadership skills, because the other members of the band will look to this musician to lead them musically through the conducting of a musical piece.
